Mount Lofty Ranges zone (wine) facts for kids
| Wine region | |
Vineyards in Clare Valley
|
|
| Type | Australian Geographical Indication |
|---|---|
| Year established | 1996. |
| Country | Australia |
| Part of | Adelaide super zone |
| Sub-regions | Adelaide Hills, Adelaide Plains, Clare Valley |
The Mount Lofty Ranges zone is a special area in South Australia known for growing grapes and making wine. It is located west of the Murray River. This zone covers the city area of Adelaide and stretches north to Crystal Brook. It also goes south to Mount Compass in the Mount Lofty Ranges.
This wine zone surrounds another famous wine area called the Barossa zone. It includes three smaller, important wine areas. These areas are officially recognized as Australian Geographical Indications (AGIs). They are the Adelaide Hills, the Adelaide Plains, and the Clare Valley. The Mount Lofty Ranges zone itself became an AGI in 1996.
Contents
Where the Zone Is and What AGI Means
The Mount Lofty Ranges zone covers a large part of central South Australia. To the north, it reaches a line near Crystal Brook. To the west, it follows the coastline of Gulf St Vincent. It also extends north from Port Wakefield.
To the south, the zone includes the area around Glenelg in Adelaide. It also goes as far south as Mount Compass in the Mount Lofty Ranges. On its eastern side, the zone is just west of the Murray River. This zone almost completely surrounds the Barossa wine zone.
The name 'Mount Lofty Ranges' was officially registered as an AGI on December 27, 1996. An AGI is like a special label that tells you where a wine comes from. It helps protect the good name of wines made in that specific place.
Wine Regions Inside the Zone
The Mount Lofty Ranges wine zone is made up of several smaller wine regions. These include the Adelaide Hills, Adelaide Plains, and Clare Valley wine regions. There are also some vineyards in the zone that are not part of any specific region.
Adelaide Hills Wine Region
The Adelaide Hills wine region is located within the Mount Lofty Ranges. It stretches from near Mount Pleasant in the north. It goes all the way to Mount Compass, South Australia in the south.
This region is next to the Barossa zone in the north. It also borders the Fleurieu zone at its southern end. The name 'Adelaide Hills' was officially recognized as an AGI on February 9, 1998.
Adelaide Plains Wine Region
The Adelaide Plains wine region is just north of the main city of Adelaide. This region was recognized as an Australian Geographical Indication in 2002.
As of 2014, there were 11 wineries operating in the Adelaide Plains region.
Clare Valley Wine Region
The Clare Valley wine region stretches from north of the town of Clare. It goes south to the town of Auburn.
This region received its official AGI status on March 25, 1999.
